Classic Poem

How-do! How-do!
Pigeon-wing and toe.
Click your heels together
And away we go.
Snappin' our fingers
And slitherin' our feet,
Beatin' out a sugar tune
Sticky and sweet.
Grab your lovely lady
And whirl her off the floor,
Slip and slide her down the room,
Steer her up once more.
Hear the drums a-beatin',
But they're goin' awful slow.
Hit her up, you jazz-men,
We're sleepin' in this row.
What's the bones a-doin'
Blowin' on his thumbs?
Sets my ribs a-jiggin'
To hear them drums.
How-do! How-do!
Out there in the night
All the birds am listenin'
And quiverin' with fright.
I reckon they 'low it's Judgment come
Them rattles is makin' such a terrible hum.
Don't you hear the sizzlin' out in the grass?
It's snakes, Honey, snakes, all a-hustlin' to pass.
They thinks we's devils, with the bawlin' and yellin',
An' they've only got a minute to run away from Hell in.
Watch me playin' possum,
Slinkin' through the crowd.
Peek past the folks, Lamb,
Ain't yo' proud
When I leap up sudden
On a great round swing
With the flicker-flap-flash
Of a woodpecker's wing?
'Pears like you
Is a honeysuckle flower
Smellin' like a bunch of 'mdash
After a shower.
'Pears like you
Is a great gold queen
Settin' on a high throne
All red an' green.
These here niggers
Am just yo' people,
But I am yo' fancy-man
Tall as a steeple,
With my head in the clouds
Bobbin' roun' an' roun',
An' my feet rejoicin'
At the boom-boom sound.
Step along with me, Honey,
What's the music for?
Your little fire-feet am cracklin',
Snappin' on the floor.
They'm scorchin' my toes
An' burnin' my eyes
An' shootin' an' scootin'
Like they was fire-flies
All a-razzle an' a-dazzle
An' a whirligiggin' wonder,
Mockin' the old jazz drums
Poundin' there like thunder.
Don't you keep me waitin',
Ain't I achin' to begin,
Itchin' for it, Lady Bird,
Like it was a sin.
Your wild-cat eyes is callin' me
They'm clawin' at my face,
I can't stand still no longer,
Jump in an' take your place.
Tickle up your shins, Girl,
Look mighty smart.
Grab me round the waist and — Whoo!
There we start.
How-do! How-do!
Throw your little heels so,
Same as colts do, that's the style.
Double shuffle for a mile.
Swing your hips and bend your head.
Say, the music's all gone dead.
Beat your drums up, player-men,
Do that cake-walk reel again.
Shake the tambourines a bit,
Bang the cymbals till they split,
Throw your drum-sticks up and catch 'mdash.
We can bunny-jump to match 'mdash.
Whirl your rattles to a spin,
Prod the fiddler with a pin,
That ole nigger's pow'ful lazy,
Makes us all go just plumb crazy.
Do you hear that shudderin' whine?
There's an owl in the old pine.
Guess he's lonesome all out there
Nothin' roun' but just cold air.
My! it's hot in here an' steamy.
Makes my head go kind of creamy
Seein' that great big flat moon
Gallivantin' roun' in tune
Every time we pass the door.
Shoot away now down the floor,
Dizzy, whizzy, loo-for-Lizzie,
Buckle-rappin', tap-tap-tappin'.
Guess my bones am gwine to loosen,
Guess I can't no more be choosin',
Guess I'll dance till Kingdom come,
Guess I need a drop of rum.
Holy Moses! hold me tighter,
'Pears the moon am growin' whiter.
Drum, you niggers, skin yo' wrists,
Ain't we done a heap o' twists!
How-do! How-do!
Heel and toe,
Forty couples in a glow,
Eight rose-bud hearts a-quakin'.
Looks it might be dawn a-breakin'!
How-do! How-do!
Pigeon-heel and rabbit-toe,
Till the candles all burn low
And the drums am tellin' sleepy
Tappin' ghosty-short an' creepy,
An' a bluejay up an' screeches
Outside in his purple beeches.
Kiss me, Honey, that's all right.
Maybe I'll be round to-night.